Connect Magazine - Fall 2007

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2 FALL 2007 connect


AdvertisingFor more information about advertising in future issues of

Connect magazine, please email your questions to [email protected], or call 677-1007.

Letters to the EditorOne of the goals of Connect is to spark a conversation within the

church. If you have a response to any of the stories featured in Connect, please let us know by emailing us at [email protected].

Reader SuggestionsDo you have anything you would like to see in future issues? Let

us know by emailing us at [email protected].

Connect is a quarterly publication of Trinity Fellowship, Connect is a quarterly publication of Trinity Fellowship, 5000 Hollywood Road, Amarillo TX 79118. 806-355-8955. 5000 Hollywood Road, Amarillo TX 79118. 806-355-8955.

©Copyright 2007 Trinity Fellowship. All rights reserved. No part ©Copyright 2007 Trinity Fellowship. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the

prior written consent of the publisher.prior written consent of the publisher.

Editorial Director

Pastor Cindy Rowley

Senior EditorPatrick Kemp

Features EditorKelli Bullard

Staff WriterSeth Wieck

Editorial AssistantGlennys Viermann

Art Director/DesignCollier Vinson

Graphic DesignAlicia Flake

Graphic DesignJeremy Henderson

Weekend Service TimesSaturday

5:15 p.m. in the Main6:15 p.m. in the Ü

Sunday9:30 & 11:00 a.m. in the Main10:15 a.m. in the Ü

Creative AdministratorMolly Longcor

TM


connect FALL 2007 5

cover story

Man Night6:30 p.m. in the “U”Cowboys’ football game on the giant screen and pizza

Bethesda’s Back-to-School Outreach Help give out backpacks fi lled with school supplies to kids who can’t aff ord it.

Connect SeminarNMC Auditorium Dr. Terry Hargrave will present a sensitive and caring viewpoint on “Caring for Your Aging Parents.”

Belong Banquet6:30 p.m. in the SanctuaryOffi cially join Trinity Fellowship with a dinner and a program that teaches you all about this church and how you fi t in.

Men’s RetreatLifeWay Glorieta, Santa Fe NMGet away to the mountains and get close to God.

Lord of the HarvestRex Baxter Building A family celebration with games, food, and costumes.

Connect Seminar9-noon in the NMC AuditoriumDr. Jana Th urmond from BSA Hospice will help you in “Dealing with Grief During the Holidays.”

Th e Reason Th e annual exciting Christmas show.

in this issue

06 Contributors07 Pastoral Letter13 Ministry Spotlight - blu20 Lifegroup Directory22 Volunteering

23 Meet the Staff27 Trinity Trivia29 Contributing Column30 Ministry Spotlight - Arbor37 Book/Music Reviews

The GospelCan learning how to fi eld dress a deer in the wilderness teach someone about Jesus Christ? Yes, of course. See how Paul Blake does it.

By Seth Wieck

Northern HorizonDo a coloring book and a box of crayons represent God moving in a generation? See what might be over the horizon.

By David Ritchie

Where I’m FromWhat would you do if your family was being threatened? Could you pack up and leave everything you’ve ever known behind?

By Christopher Myers

Your Pastor. Our Dad.When he’s not preaching to crowds or smiling at the TV camera, Jimmy Evans is a pretty regular guy. Catch a diff erent view of your pastor through the eyes of his kids in this exclusive interview.

By Kelli Bullard

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for more information visit us online at www.tfchurch.org

Mark Your CalendarHere are some dates to write down so you don’t miss these important events.

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contributors

1 Marty Rowley Marty came into the ministry after practicing law for over 20 years, because he had a passion for helping men lead healthy, balanced, and successful lives according to the Scriptures. Since he’s been on staff he has s p e a rhe aded ne w leadership initiatives throughout Trinity Fellowship’s Association of Churches, and as a result the Gospel of Jesus Christ has i m p a c t e d m a n y communities in the region.

2 Christopher MyersChristopher has been a Red Sox fan since he was 7 when his dad brought a baseball cap back from a Boston

business trip. He teaches English and creative writing courses at Arbor Christian Academy. “Everybody has a story. Sometimes you have to draw it out of them, but Linda’s came in a nice little package,” he said about his interview with Linda Van Reenen. See his story, “Out of Africa,” on page 24.

3 Jennifer WilkersonJennifer is the high school principal at Arbor Christian Academy. She has her BA in Elementary Education, and a Master’s in Counseling. She began teaching at Arbor in the 90’s, and some of her former students are now her co-workers. See her story, “Th e Perfect Fit” on page 30.

4 David RitchieDavid plays an integral role in the planning and administration of North. After t ak ing a h ia tus from his university studies to focus on the development of different ministries, David has returned to his studies at WTAMU where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English and Philosophy.

5 Roger HodgesDuring Roger’s ten-year tenure at Trinity, he has recorded several live and studio worship albums, charted a #1 hit on contemporary worship lists, and weathered enough musical trends to know what really stands the test of time.

6 Patrick SchlabsPatrick spends a good deal of his weekends and free-time training his German Shorthair, Jaxson, to hunt birds. During the workweek he is on the staff of North, the new young adult ministry, where he plays a par t in planning and leadership, as well as being the worship pastor during their Tuesday night meetings. He also leads worship during weekend services.

7Joseph Elliott SchlabsJoseph started his photography company when he was in high school. Now after a three-year stint in the Creative Dept. here at Trinity, Joseph is back

in the photography m a r k e t . H e ’s current ly working with an author on an illustrated history of the Green Bay Packers, as well as shooting weddings, portraits, Texas, and cool things in foreign countries.

8 Rita MorrowRita discovered a love for performing in 4th grade when her Glen Campbell imitation won her a talent award. You may know her as Martha Marie, a spunky Southern belle with a saucy brand of humor. Rita lives with “three boys and a man” (husband Paul, sons Josh, Joe and Daniel), who supply her with plenty of new material.


connect FALL 2007 7

1 2 3 4

This is your House.

pastoral letter

Amarillo is a wonderful place to live. Cindy and I made this our home 25 years ago, and it has been a great location to put down our roots and raise a family. Our city has a lot to be proud of – friendly people, excellent schools, safe neighborhoods,

quality healthcare facilities, and versatile weather that’s always good for a quick conversation starter. As a church, we have a lot of pride in our city as well. Trinity Fellowship consists of people who have made our

city what it is today – families just like yours who have invested their time, energy and commitment into building a church and a community for others to enjoy. Th at’s one of the reasons we are so excited about our new building that will exponentially increase our ability to give something back to our community.

Th is fall we will launch our new building campaign with a specifi c message tied to it. Th at message is, “Th is Is Your House.” By this, we want to communicate that Trinity Fellowship is building a house that will be very signifi cant for our community on four levels.

Th e fi rst level is our declaration to God, affi rming that this is His house. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” From the very inception of Trinity Fellowship, our intention has always been to hear God’s voice and do what He is telling us to do. Without a doubt, we believe God has told us to build this building and make room for the people He is bringing here.

The second level is a message to our congregation. Your sweat and your efforts, your prayers and your finances, have gone into making this church what it is today and what it will be in the future. This is the place you come to worship, to receive ministry and be equipped to lead others, and to fulfill the calling that’s on your life.

Th e third level is the people of our city who are looking for a home, a place to belong and get connected. Statistically, there are 67,000 people in Amarillo with no religious affi liation. Many of those are hurting, needy and disconnected. Our message to them is, you are welcome here. Please come and fi nd comfort, healing and hope, and discover your place in God’s kingdom.

Th e fourth level is a proclamation to Amarillo and the surrounding area that “Th is Is Your House.” With our new 4,000-seat worship center and expansive foyer, we will have the capacity to host large, city-wide events, seminars or conferences – and to use that as a tool to give back to our community. I envision Trinity Fellowship becoming a hub of activity as well as a spiritual infl uence to tens of thousands of people.

By Marty Rowley

In the months and years ahead, we have a tremendous opportunity to open our doors wide and embrace our community with God’s love. Th at may sound like a huge undertaking, but we must remember that it happens one person, one family, at a time. And it starts with the simple message, a sincere invitation: “Th is is your house. Come on in; we’ve been waiting for you.”


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had donated them to the Randall County Jail, which we’ll get to in a little while. Slaughter is, and isn’t, as gruesome as it sounds. It means that the end for the boar is to be eaten – turned into hot links, bacon, ham, pork chops – all of the delicious things that we like to call the other white meat. Of course, it also means that the boar has to be slaughtered. We’re not going to do that today, however, because they are boars. Boars are male pigs, and boar meat naturally has a nasty taste because of their hormones. So the plan is to make these boars into barrows, or gently put, eunuch pigs, and then wait about a month to slaughter them so they’ll taste good. Th e men pondered that for a moment over the coff ee, and then Paul said, “Let’s pray, guys.”

Paul has led a devotional for years. When his son was in school, he had a group of high school boys over to his house every Wednesday morning for donuts and a Bible study. He leads his employees in one every Monday morning before they begin the week, and he has this lifegroup that meets a couple of times per month. “Some of these guys bring their sons. One of ’em even brings his daughter,” Paul said.

Th e lesson was relatively simple, straight out of a daily devotional book by Charles Swindoll, but it became

About noon on a Saturday in June, Paul Blake (55), leader of the Men’s Hunting Lifegroup, opened the fridge at his home in Canyon and slid a plate of meat across the bar. “Th at’s buff alo. I’m kind of addicted to it.” Paul is an expert on hunting if a person were to judge by his trophy room. Just about everything that can legally be killed in North America is mounted beautifully, from mountain goats to a mountain lion and a couple of bears. As Paul detailed the story of each hunt, he gazed around the room and abruptly said, “I’ve eaten everything in here. Mountain lion is kind of like a fi ne pork.”

Th e day started out normally enough. Th e lifegroup met at the Paul Blake Roofi ng and Construction business offi ces at 8 a.m. Coff ee and donuts were available, and a few men sat around drinking coff ee from Styrofoam cups. Paul’s fi ve-year-old grandson, Caleb, told a story about how it took his father two shots to kill one of the bucks mounted on the wall. Th e business offi ces also display hunting trophies right next to roofi ng samples.

Th e group, a little smaller than usual, gathered around a table discussing the activities for the day. One of the men’s sons had donated four boars for slaughter, and the group in turn


apparent throughout the day that the lessons learned in this lifegroup don’t really come from books. “I tell these guys that nobody cares what you do on Sunday. It’s what you do Monday through Saturday that people are looking at.” After the lesson, the group packed up and headed to the next location: Randall County Jail.

“I haven’t cut a pig since I was 15,” Paul said as he opened the door to a county work facility, “and it was only 30 or 40 pounds. Th ese are about 250. I’m not looking forward to it.” Inside the shop, twelve inmates in classic striped

uniforms reclined around a table, cracking jokes about the job they were about to help perform.

Th e inmates are part of a work program that teaches valuable trades so these men can fi nd work after their incarceration. Th e lifegroup, after having received the pigs, had donated them to the county, and the inmates were in charge of their care and eventual slaughter. Deputy John Henke, the offi cer who oversees this program, introduced himself. It’s immediately apparent that he has a father-like rapport with the inmates. He can joke with them, but they nod

Paul Blake & Paul Blake & John HenkeJohn Henke

“I tell these guys that nobody cares what you do on Sunday. It’s what you do Monday through Saturday that people are looking at.”


connect FALL 2007 11

and say, “Yes, sir” when he tells them to grab a barrel for the job.

We’ll spare you the details on what happened next, but after an hour of wrestling four man-sized pigs, some creative corralling, and a few squeals, the job was done. While the inmates laughed and separated the new barrows into diff erent pens, John the Deputy pulled Paul aside and spoke with him quietly.

Afterwards the group went to Paul’s house for lunch, and over those tasty slices of smoked buff alo, Paul divulged that John the Deputy had thanked

him and said, “Th ese guys will talk about this for the rest of their lives.” Th e group had also been invited back to help butcher and barbeque the pigs, which they’ll probably do. Paul made sure that the men in the lifegroup realized how much of an impact they made simply by sharing that experience with the inmates. Ministry boils down to something pretty simple with these guys, and it demonstrates how eff ective God can make people who are available.

In the midst of conversation Paul leaned back and refl ected on the origin of the group. “I was sitting in the parking

lot of the church with my wife, and I felt called here at this church to teach young men how to butcher. I thought, ‘I know how to do this. It’s a trade, a gift that you can pass on to younger men, and so they can pass it on to other people.’”

And that’s the Gospel According to Paul Blake. John the Apostle wrote the story of Jesus Christ in Greek to the Greeks. Luke chronicled it like an historian to a lover of God. And the Men’s Hunting Lifegroup will tell it in a circle of young men embracing manhood over the carcasses of wild game.

Paul Blake &Paul Blake &Jack HutchinsonJack Hutchinson


Th ree years ago we unveiled a new youth ministry in our grand experiment of telling the Gospel. Blü

came out strong aiming the Good News at students in grades 7 through 12. It asked, “What do teenagers

need?”And here’s what we found: teenagers need to know

who they are – their identity. Th ey need to look at their world and say, “I fi t in here, and this is what I look like.” You might notice this when your jr. higher wants to dress a diff erent way every week. But more importantly, they need to associate themselves with Jesus Christ, with the things that He taught, and with being a child of God. Th at way, no matter where their gifts and their personalities place them in society, they will always understand that Jesus Christ loves them, and the only proper response is to worship Him and love His people.

When that idea jumps from paper into real application, and people’s lives begin to be changed, it turns out to be a remarkable thing. It also requires constant evaluation. You shift your resources of people, money, and ideas to better meet the needs of the ministry – you adapt your logistics. If you’re playing a game of football, your quarterback moves the other ten players to adapt to the defense. So Blü is doing that beginning in the fall semester. It probably won’t aff ect you too much, but we’d like to let you know what’s happening.

Here’s what it looks like on paper, in case you want to put it on your calendar. Blü subscribes to the philosophy of “have them leave wanting more, not wanting out.”

So beginning August 29th, Blü will begin its third year by opening its doors at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights, rather than 6 p.m. Th e doors will close at 9 p.m., rather than 9:30 p.m. Th at shaves an hour off the night, which makes it easier on the many volunteers, and ensures that every minute there has meaning and purpose.

Also, 7th through 10th grades will begin meeting together at 7 p.m. Th is meeting will look a lot like Blü does right now with videos, sermon illustrations, and high-energy worship music. Th e teaching will focus on constructing identities according to principles in the Bible.

Juniors and seniors will meet together in the newly remodeled game room at 7:30 p.m., for a meeting tailored to their ages. Th e room is a smaller, more intimate environment that encourages conversation with the leadership team, who will be sitting amongst the teenagers. Th e seating will be on couches rather than rows of chairs, so after the meeting

students will hang around and continue the conversation inspired by the teaching. Th e worship will be low-key to match the new culture, and the teaching will deal with one of two things: applying the identity they’ve made to real-life situations, and being proactive to reach the community with the love of Jesus Christ. We believe that students at this age, who have had proper training, are able to begin reaching their community by focusing on meeting the needs of people around them. Th ere’s no reason to prolong adolescence.

You may be asking, “How does this play out over the six years my student goes to Blü?” Well, we’re glad you asked, because that means you’re involved in your student’s life. We’ll demonstrate with an analogy, perhaps an extreme analogy, but it seems to work.

Let’s say you’re in seventh grade, and you’ve decided that you want to be a real, genuine bronc-buster when you grow up. You want to ride bucking horses until they throw you off – that is your identity. Not a lot of rodeos will let you in their arena to do that when you’re 13, so you settle for what you can do. You buy some cowboy boots and start listening to country music. Maybe you read some Louis L’Amour novels to really get the image down, and learn all about the rodeo greats like Lane Frost. You even hang around the rodeo arena, when you can get your parents to take you there, and listen to the older cowboys talk about the tricks of the trade. By the time you’re 16, you know everything there is to know about busting broncs, except what it’s like to actually ride the horse.

Now you buy yourself a pick-up truck, and you can drive down to the arena whenever you want. Will you follow through with that identity, even when you get thrown off the horse? Even when you have so many other places you could drive your pick-up truck?

Th e arena manager has seen you around and how much you’ve invested into this thing, so he lets you in to start riding. He’ll even be able to give you some focused attention, and show you how to stay on the horse, or that getting thrown off isn’t the end of the world. It’s your chance to put your identity to the test in a real-life arena, before you get out of your parents’ house.

Th e Blü staff is eager to share their vision with you, so if you’d like more information or to see this analogy in action (minus the horses), call Shelby Vinson at the church offi ces or visit Blü on a Wednesday night. Check it out. We think you’ll be pleased.



YOUR PASTOROUR DAD

BY KELLI BULLARD

You know him as Jimmy Evans––senior pastor,

television host, dynamic speaker, Bible teacher

and author. But behind the public image, who is

the real Jimmy Evans? Connect magazine recently

had conversations with Brenton Evans and Julie

(Evans) Albracht to get the scoop about the man

they call “dad.”


16 FALL 2007 connect

What are some special memories of your dad?Julie: Before he was a pastor, he used to lead a lifegroup.

Kids would sit around and he’d play the guitar. I remember if I didn’t like the song, I’d put my hands on the strings and say “play a diff erent song.” I have good memories of sitting around while he would play the guitar.

Brenton: One time my dad told me and Julie we could each pick a friend and he’d take us to the water park in Oklahoma City. I was 11 or 12 at the time, and we stayed in a hotel and he spent time with us. He did stuff like that a lot, at random times. When I was 16, he took me on a trip to Phoenix to reconnect. We took time to talk about things, and it showed his love.

What are some funny memories?Julie: We used to play Monopoly and he would make this

loud, obnoxious “choo-choo” sound every time somebody was going to lose and every time he did something right. I would give him a hard time and tell him that it didn’t fi t the senior pastor image and he wasn’t being very Christian-like.

Brenton: When I was 15, my dad and [his good friend] Tom Lane both went out and bought Mazda RX7 sports cars. Th ey got on this kick. I think they were going through a little bit of a midlife, I won’t say “crisis,” but a midlife phase. My dad drove his for about 9 months. I was turning 16, and Dad gave the car to me, and Tom gave his to [his son] Todd. I had to work to pay the insurance as part of the conditions, and I had to keep my grades up.

Julie: I still give him a hard time about going through midlife. Th e other day he was saying he wanted to become a pilot, and I told him he’s going through midlife again. I think he gets bored and wants to try new things.

Brenton: Another thing my dad and Tom did when they got together is quote certain movie lines. Whatever the hot summer movie was, they would end up quoting for the next 5 years – Princess Bride, Back to the Future. He’d go around saying, “Oh, McFly.” Totally a cut up. He just enjoyed having fun.

What memories do you have from your later teen years?Brenton: Whenever I went off to college he gave me a

ring, we had matching rings from James Avery. He said, this is a covenant between the two of us, that you’ll uphold the values I’ve instilled in you, have good morals in college, go to church and stay with the Lord. As a father to a son, this ring is a reminder, a covenant between us. I still have that ring. I didn’t always make good decisions, I wasn’t perfect, but it reminded me of everything my dad had taught me growing up.

Julie: I remember when I was in college, I came home for Th anksgiving and we went around the dinner table and said what we were thankful for. For the fi rst time I realized how signifi cant it was that my parents were still together. My roommates and sorority sisters were all from broken homes, and I saw all the issues and struggles they were going through. I know that no marriage is perfect, but at that moment I realized how much I appreciated my parents’ commitment to each other and their commitment to helping others.

What lessons did you learn from your dad? What values did he instill in you?

Brenton: When I was about 6 or 7, there were some kids at Olsen Park, after school, that started picking on me. He told me, you’ve got to stick up for yourself. It gave me confi dence. I was so young I didn’t know what my response should be, but that was his response, to stick up for myself. He challenged me to be strong, in sports or whatever.



Julie: Lessons about how to steward my money, especially in

high school and college. When I would go through issues with

teachers, he would always teach me what the right thing was.One of the biggest lessons he taught me was respect for authority.

I also remember him during the process of learning how to drive and picking out my fi rst car. He helped me research and took me for test drives. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t just go buy me a car. I worked for my car, and he helped, but I just think the value he instilled, the time, was more important than if he had just given me a car.

How would you describe your dad?Julie: Focused and determined and strong. And he has

a good heart, a very good heart. Brenton: My dad is so genuine and authentic. What

you see in the pulpit is what you see at home. He believes in certain standards and principles and upholds to those. He’s not doing something on Wednesdays and Sundays that he’s not doing every day. He has a quiet time and prays, spends time with people, loves on people. It’s just who he is. Truly my dad is the same in front of the camera, in front of the congregation, as he is behind the scenes. Very open and very honest.

Tell us about your parents’ marriage. Julie: Th ey have a strong marriage. Th ey are committed

and they have a passion for helping marriages because they’ve gone through so many struggles.

Brenton: Th eir marriage ministry is born out of their relationship. Th ey’re a very real couple. Th ey don’t put themselves on a pedestal or act like they don’t have problems. Th ey have to work hard at [marriage] like everybody else, but they are so close and intimate as a couple. Th ey’re very aware of not taking anything for granted. Even though they could coast on a lot of things, they continue to do the right thing for their marriage.

What kind of relationship do you have with your dad?Brenton: Very good, he’s my boss, and one of my best

friends. We spend a lot of time together. He’s got many roles in my life. First and foremost he’s my dad, and I’m serving him now in Marriage Today. He’s my boss, friend, and now grandfather for my daughter.

Julie: Growing up, he was my pastor and my father at the same time. As an adult, we’re in a diff erent season of our relationship. I’m excited about the stage we’re in and that he’s a grandfather to my children. Th ose are the moments that are most impactful for me, seeing my dad with the girls. When I get to see my dad switch and not be thinking about all the stresses and issues of day-to-day life, and I see him get on a childlike level, those are the moments that just hit my heart.

Brenton Evans is Executive Vice President of Brenton Evans is Executive Vice President of Marriage Today. He and his wife, Stephanie, Marriage Today. He and his wife, Stephanie, have a newborn daughter, Kate Sophia.have a newborn daughter, Kate Sophia.

Julie (Evans) Albracht is married to Cory, and they Julie (Evans) Albracht is married to Cory, and they

have twin 5-year-old daughters, Abby and Elle.have twin 5-year-old daughters, Abby and Elle.



How have your views of your dad changed since you’ve become a parent?

Julie: I think that there’s more grace once you become

a parent yourself, more grace for the things that used to

frustrate you. I appreciate the time and the input he did have

in my life. I learned a lot of lessons from him as my pastor

as well as my father. I think those things help me to be the

mom I want to be.

Brent: I’m 30 and having my fi rstborn, and my dad

was 20 [when Julie was born]. I think about where he was,

when he was my age he had a 10-year-old and a 7-year-old.

He was a pastor and had two kids. I think about all he had

to juggle and handle. I respect what he did back then. And

I think about how I can succeed as a father, how reliable

he was, how good a leader he was in the home, spiritually,

fi nancially. I’ve seen how it’s done through my father. Th at’s

how I want to do it.

What do you wish people knew about your dad?Julie: His genuine love for them and the church. I think

that people really don’t know how committed he is, or just

his love for the people and what he’s doing. It’s the passion

of his life.

Brent: I think that people probably get this impression

of my dad, since he’s got a large church and large ministry,

that he would be very unapproachable or very distant. When

I see him around people, he makes an eff ort to show he is

interested and caring. Th ere’s just such a soft spot in his heart

for the church and for married couples. Not everyone gets to

see that, but I see it. I see it in the way he makes decisions

about how to spend his time. He just has this burden, this

life calling, and it’s a genuine calling, not just a vocation.

He cares so much for the people of Amarillo. I love how

sensitive he is and how burdened he is for the people at

Trinity and the people of the Marriage Today ministry.


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ulie: Lessons about how to steward my money, especially in

chool and college. When I would go through issues with

rs, he would always teach me what the right thing was.f the biggest lessons he taught me was respect for authority. also remember him during the process of learning how to and picking out my fi rst car. He helped me research and

me for test drives. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t just go e a car. I worked for my car, and he helped, but I just think ue he instilled, the time, was more important than if he had ven me a car.

would you describe your dad?ulie: Focused and determined and strong. And he has a heart, a very good heart. renton: My dad is so genuine and authentic. What e in the pulpit is what you see at home. He believes in

n standards and principles and upholds to those. He’s oing something on Wednesdays and Sundays that he’s oing every day. He has a quiet time and prays, spends with people, loves on people. It’s just who he is. Truly ad is the same in front of the camera, in front of the egation, as he is behind the scenes. Very open and very t.s about your parents’ marriage.

ulie: Th ey have a strong marriage. Th ey are committed hey have a passion for helping marriages because they’ve hrough so many struggles. renton: Th eir marriage ministry is born out of their



volunteering

Ready to Serve?You can learn more about getting involved in any of the areas of ministry here at Trinity simply by calling the church offi ces. Here are just a few of the ministries

that operate with volunteers, and who to call for more

information.

Outreach: regular outreaches including

food (weekly), clothing (bi-weekly), Thanksgiving and Back-to-School (annually).

Call JoAnn @ Bethesda Outreach Center, 383.6990.

Early childhood:coordinating, teaching,

sewing, music, hospitality, curriculum, intercessory

prayer, photography, scrapbooking, etc. Call Pastor

Kathy Love @ 355.8955.

Children’s ministry:production, hospitality,

special events. Call Pastor Adam or Pastor Ralph @

677.1002.

Lifecare Center:altar ministry, healing,

prophetic, hospital visitation, ministry counseling,

communion team, ushers/sentinels, food ministry, etc.

Call Erica @ 355.8955.

Arbor Christian Academy: tutoring elementary students,

offi ce mail-outs. Call Mary Ann @ 355.7207.

Camera crew:operating camera for

weekend services and special events. Call Jeff @ 355.8955.

Lifegroups:women’s & men’s ministry, lifegroup desk. Call Megan @

355.8955.

You may

be the kind

of person

that watches

what you eat, hits the gym on a regular

basis, and gets a yearly check-up with

your doctor, but there’s another aspect

of good health you could be missing:

volunteering.

A new report released by

the Corporation for National &

Community Service shows a signifi cant

connection between volunteering

and health. Th e study revealed that

volunteers have greater longevity,

higher functional ability, lower rates of

depression and less incidence of heart

disease (see www.nationalservice.org,

Th e Health Benefi ts of Volunteering:

A Review of Recent Research, May

2007).

Here at Trinity Fellowship, there

are plenty of volunteer opportunities in

a wide variety of ministries. Recently

Connect magazine spoke with Pastors

Valerie Gooch and Terri Powell, both

part of our children’s ministry, to learn

more about Trinity’s philosophy of

involving volunteers.

“What’s so important to

understand is that it’s about individual

people,” said Pastor Valerie. “We make

it about our volunteers.”

Stewardship of people is a much

more important issue than simply

fi lling a volunteer position. Ministry

leaders consider potential volunteers

to determine where they fi t best and

what environment will allow them

to fl ourish and grow spiritually

while they are serving. It’s not

about getting the job done. It’s

about the people doing the job.

“If you’re just putting people in

jobs, they become a commodity. Th at is

so not what we’re about,” Valerie said.

When people are serving in the

church, they are able to fulfi ll their true

purpose in the body of Christ. And it’s

their chance to be part of something

beyond themselves, something with

eternal signifi cance.

“People begin to realize when they

are volunteering, what that means,

what the impact is to the whole church.

Th ey’re a part of something bigger,” said

Pastor Terri.

“It’s about reaching your fullness

in Christ,” Valerie said. “You have

something to off er; you are gifted. It

has to come from the perspective of,

when you serve, you are better. Better

than you ever imagined. You can’t even

picture who you can become until you

begin to serve.”

So here’s our prescription for good

health. Find an area of ministry here at

Trinity Fellowship that you’re interested

in. Give the leader a call, and see what

type of volunteer opportunities are

currently available. To help you out,

we’ve included a list of a few that we

know of. We encourage you to take the

fi rst step and see where it leads you.

Who knows? It might be just what

the doctor ordered.



meet the staff

Priscilla Gail StennisPastor of Care and Counseling

Born: October 17, 1951October 17, 1951

Family: Husband, Sam, and 5 daughters, Jeni Roller Husband, Sam, and 5 daughters, Jeni Roller (31), Beth Sublett (29), Katie Sewell (27), (31), Beth Sublett (29), Katie Sewell (27), Jill Stennis (23), Sara Langford (21)Jill Stennis (23), Sara Langford (21)

Hometown: Midland, TexasMidland, Texas

Education:University of Houston with a BA in University of Houston with a BA in Sociology. Master’s in Curriculum and Sociology. Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. Law School at South Texas Instruction. Law School at South Texas in Houston. WTAMU Master’s in in Houston. WTAMU Master’s in Counseling.Counseling.

Hobbies: Talking, and going to moviesTalking, and going to movies

Favorite Food: Crème Brulee Crème Brulee

Favorite sports team: Texas A&M Aggies. Texas A&M Aggies.

What’s on your playlist:Counseling Issue videos

Favorite Book: Dark Night of the SoulDark Night of the Soul by Gerald May by Gerald May

Things you might not know:She used to teach piano, but not in a She used to teach piano, but not in a normal way. When she was pursuing normal way. When she was pursuing her Master’s degree she developed a her Master’s degree she developed a curriculum for teaching piano to children curriculum for teaching piano to children who couldn’t read. So notes, or keys, who couldn’t read. So notes, or keys, corresponded to diff erent animals: “C” corresponded to diff erent animals: “C” was cat, “D” was dog, etc. So the fi rst was cat, “D” was dog, etc. So the fi rst thing they learned was the location of thing they learned was the location of Middle Cat.Middle Cat.

Kirk Lloyd MantonDirector of Production

Born: February 6, 1960

Family: Wife, Ann Suchy-Manton, and 4 children: Aubree, Nicole, Christopher, and Stephanie.

Hometown: Costa Mesa, California

Education:Viola University, Fullerton Community College, Viola University, Fullerton Community College, Coastline Jr. College, Cal-State Fullerton, and Coastline Jr. College, Cal-State Fullerton, and the Union for Experimental Colleges and the Union for Experimental Colleges and Universities. Th e degree was a Bachelor of Arts Universities. Th e degree was a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with a Youth Ministry focus.in Religious Studies with a Youth Ministry focus.

Favorite Food: Indian Food at this place called Delhi Indian Food at this place called Delhi Palace that closed down here in Amarillo.Palace that closed down here in Amarillo.

What’s on your playlist:Norah Jones, Iona, Nat King Cole, Ryan Culwell, Stray Cats

Favorite Book: First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Diff erently by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coff man.

Things you might not know:Kirk worked with another famous Kirk – Captain James T. Kirk of the Star Trek Enterprise – otherwise known as William Shatner. Our Kirk worked behind the scenes in the entertainment industry on movies, tv shows, and commercials. If you ever get the chance, go to www.imdb.com and type in “Kirk Manton” to see all of the movies he’s been a part of making.

Kirk was also a youth pastor for 15 years in California, before he got into the movie business.

Collier Ray VinsonArt Director

Born: November 9, 1980November 9, 1980

Family: Wife, Jessica, and daughter, Becklyn (2.5 Wife, Jessica, and daughter, Becklyn (2.5 months)months)

Hometown: Amarillo, TexasAmarillo, Texas

Education:Th ree Universities, six majors, zero degrees, Th ree Universities, six majors, zero degrees, and six years of on-the-job training.and six years of on-the-job training.

Hobbies: Anything athletic, especially golf, tennis, and basketball.

Favorite Food: Filet MignonFilet Mignon

Favorite sports team: Mavs, Suns, or any other team Steve Nash is or has played on.

What’s on your playlist: John Mayer, Maroon 5, Audioslave

Favorite Book: Uprising by Erwin McManus

Things you might not know:After he and his wife got married, they moved to Arizona so he could attend the Art Institute of Phoenix. Th ey moved back after one semester because they missed their family, and apparently people want you to pay a lot to live in the desert. “I’ve been fortunate enough to fi nd jobs wherever I’ve been. I think God has really had His hand on us while we were fi guring out where we were supposed to be.”



by Christopher Myers

photos by JOS

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Out of Africa419560_Connect_Mag_Fall07.indd 24419560_Connect_Mag_Fall07.indd 24 8/2/07 2:14:50 PM8/2/07 2:14:50 PM


“

I’mfrom

SouthAfrica.

My story will be immigration.”

Th is is how she begins because Linda Van Reenen understands her story. She understands its heft, its gravity. So she sits with great poise, legs crossed, perched posture perfect in her chair, and she unpacks her story, beginning with its theme—radical adventure. For Linda and her family, husband Ian, and children Katharine and Ian, there is no other way to describe the whirlwind of events and circumstances that brought them to Amarillo. Th rough the turmoil of the last years, Linda has come to a quiet understanding of where she has come from and where she is now, and she speaks from this steady confi dence. Although Linda and her family didn’t leave South Africa for the United States until 2001, the seeds of their leaving were planted in 1994. As Linda remembers, “It was in the time the new government came into power, and things went really hard for us.”

Like much of Africa’s recent history, South Africa’s modern political history is at once violent and complex, but much of the confl ict stems from the dark legacy of apartheid. Th e South African governments of the 20th century systematically segregated by race, going so far as to create particular regions of the country where specifi c races must live. Th ough the new government abolished apartheid in ‘94, many in the country were unsatisfi ed and demanded vengeance. Some of these vigilantes began murdering white farmers, as acts of revenge in an eff ort to reclaim the agricultural industry dominated by white farmers.

As farmers themselves, these farm killings were not an abstraction for the Van Reenens, but a grim reality. Th e Free State, a South African region home to 30,000 farms (including theirs), became the center of the violence. And though they were spared, their neighbors, just 15 miles up the road, were not. As Linda recalls, “Th ey targeted the farms—100%...What they did was, they killed old people. Th ey watched the farm and they would go in and kill.”

But the Van Reenens refused to live in fear. Th ough farms around them were attacked, though families around them were murdered, the Van Reenens resolved not to leave until they heard from God. “We had been following the Lord for a long time. We gave our lives to the Lord in 1978.” It was their faith in God’s protection and their desire to be in His will that kept them on the farm. “We believed in prayer. We didn’t just pack up. We honestly sought the Lord. We wanted a word from the Lord…On our farm we had a little hill and that’s where we used to pray, my husband and I. We would go up there and we would pray.”

Despite the real dangers, they were mostly reluctant to leave their church family in South Africa. “We had a wonderful Christian fellowship. Very small, but so committed.” Th ey were faithful to attend their lifegroup, venturing off the farm at night, when most of the violence occurred. “Although that was scary, we went out in the evenings to lifegroup, when you come back and it’s dark, you don’t know. One day we did come back and there was somebody in our house. We had a



photos by JOS

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safe in our house. Th ey had already pulled it out. Th ey got a fright or something and they fl ew out by a window. We never saw them.” So the Van Reenens continued to pray, not only for direction, but also for the protection of their farm. “We just had faith in God that He would protect. From time to time we would walk around the borders of our farm and pray. Every step that we took, we asked God to protect.”

One day while praying on the hill, Ian heard from the Lord. As Linda recalls, “We went up there again to pray and he said he was sure that he could actually hear the Lord saying, ‘It’s okay. Pack up and go to America.’” Th ey told their children the decision and Linda remembers saying to them, “If we are going to do this, we go with the attitude of ‘no turning back.’ If we go, we will look forward and [do what] the Word says – not look back when you put your hand to the plow.” Linda believes it is this preserving attitude and the hand of God behind them that made their transition easier than that of other South Africans they know.

When they heard from God it was 2000, and they decided to come visit Texas because Ian’s brother lived in Childress. While still in South Africa, Ian set up job interviews with building fi rms in College Station. Th ey stayed with Ian’s brother in Childress and decided that before traveling to College Station, they would visit Amarillo. As they were driving into town, Ian saw the American Quarter Horse Museum. Growing up, his father had told Ian about the amazing American Quarter Horse, so the family stopped at the museum. While they were touring the museum, Linda remembers that Ian was scoping out the building. He found the plaque with the builder’s and architect’s names and he decided to call the company and give them his resume. Th is led to a job interview and, eventually, a job opportunity with Western Builders that brought the Van Reenens permanently to Amarillo in 2001.

Even with a job opportunity, the family still had to sell the farm and leave South Africa for good. Linda remembers the diffi culty of this time. “Th en everything went 100 miles per hour. We had a farm that we had to sell, everything on the farm to pack up and sell. It was a huge undertaking.” While they were fi nalizing everything in South Africa, they prayed for a new church home. “We were asking the Lord to take us to the same [type] church, the same [type] people in America. Especially on Sundays after church, driving back to the farm, that’s the prayer that we prayed. My husband prayed it aloud in the car so the kids heard him, ‘Please take us to a place like that.’”

Once in Amarillo they visited Trinity, and initially, Linda bristled at the size, saying to her husband, “Oh no, thank you very much, but we are not coming to this church. Too big.” Th ey visited other churches but kept coming back to Trinity. “We would go around and always come back to Trinity. What

It was the nudge of God’s voice that sent them hurtling towards America.



we did was, we got involved immediately with a small group, and that’s church, really. Th e people in our fi rst lifegroup, oh, all I can say is, salt of the earth, wonderful people. Th ey helped us.” When the Van Reenens’ belongings fi nally arrived from South Africa, their small group helped them move into their rent home, and when they bought a house a few months later, they helped them move again. Linda saw these people as her answer to prayer. Th e people of Amarillo are her favorite part of her story because the people of Amarillo remind her of home. “Honestly, [they are] the same type of people—friendly, hospitable, kind.”

Despite her love for America and the people of Amarillo, Linda maintains a strong cultural connection to South Africa. She refuses to drink the tea at coff ee houses because it is brewed and served wrong. “You don’t drink tea out of a mug. You drink it out of a nice porcelain cup with a saucer,” she says. But tea served in the traditional way is not the only thing Linda misses. “We miss our friends. We miss the church. And just ordinary things like food. We would be so happy just to get something like golden syrup.” Linda speaks longingly of her homeland’s food, especially a traditional sausage called Boerwois. “We were here just six months and I said to Ian, ‘I am going to die if I don’t get some Boerwois.’ I told somebody in our lifegroup about this and she said, ‘I know this guy in Tulia.’ We went to Tulia and this wonderful man, he’s my hero, he said to me, ‘I’ll make this for you. Give me the recipe.’” Now Linda has a steady supply of her beloved sausage, and among other South African immigrants, she is known as the lady who can get you Boerwois.

But her connection to her homeland is stronger than food or tradition. At the end of her story, Linda speaks of a song now circulating in South Africa. It is a contemporary folk song sung in Afrikaans, the language of the original Dutch settlers. Its subject is the Boer War, a 19th century confl ict that shaped much of South Africa’s modern political history, and its hero is the Boers’ great general, Koos de la Rey. Th e singer cries out for the general to return to lead them to victory. “Will you come for the Boers? We are ready,” the singer pleads, and in the strains of the song, Linda hears the outcry of her people. She senses the longing for the violence to end and their deep need for a deliverer. And she says she weeps with them.

As for Linda and her family, their delivery came not in the return of a conquering general, but in the voice of a Heavenly King who sent them to a new land. It was the nudge of God’s voice that sent them hurtling towards America. And so the Van Reenens have lived the gospel—they have been delivered from darkness into light, from oppression into freedom. Th is is why Linda can say with a confi dent smile that her story is one of radical adventure, because she knows she is here by the providential hand of God and the nudging of His voice.

Th is year marks our 30th anniversary as a church. How well do you know your facts about Trinity Fellowship? Try your hand at the questionnaire below, and test your knowledge.

1 Th e founding members of this church came up with several possible names before deciding on “Trinity Fellowship.” Which of these names was in the running?

A) Lamb’s Club

B) Church of the Risen Son

C) Love Chapel

ANSWER - All of the above. Yup, every one of them. Hey, it was the 70’s, what more can we say?

2 Before we had a building to meet in, the fi rst church services took place in the home of a local:

A) Chiropractor

B) Dentist

C) Yoga instructor

ANSWER - Dr. John Curry and his wife, Donna, opened their home for the fi rst meetings. Dr. Curry is a dentist and has never taught yoga, as far as we know.

3 In May 1993, the fi rst graduating class of Arbor Christian Academy (then known as Trinity Fellowship Christian School) was made up of how many students?

A) Ten

B) Seventeen

C) Th ree

ANSWER - Th e class of ’93 had three graduates: Julie Evans, Sarabeth Key, and Shane Swindell. In comparison, this year’s graduating class of ’07 had 29 graduates. We’ve come a long way, baby!

4 Th e building that houses our Bethesda Outreach Center at 1101 Fritch Highway was originally a:

A) Lumber warehouse

B) Coffi n company

C) Missile silo

ANSWER - Texas Coffi n Company fi rst occupied the warehouse at 1101 Fritch Highway. Th e building underwent extensive remodeling after Trinity Fellowship purchased it in 1988.

trinity trivia



I grew up in a small, country church in Mississippi, so one of the things I’ve come

to love since making Trinity my home is the never-ending opportunity to meet new people and develop new friendships. No matter what

season of life I’m in, it’s always a delight to look up and fi nd a fresh face to greet.

However, that wonderful opportunity has a downside, and we’ve all experienced it at one

time or another. Extend a hand to acknowledge that new acquaintance, then turn to introduce

this person to others when suddenly you realize you’ve forgotten an important detail: your new

friend’s name. Your mouth is open but there’s no retrieval. Your brain mocks you, saying,

“Does not compute. No such name exists in database for said friend.”

All that to say, when I fi nally do know a person’s name, I’m determined to make the

most of it. I mean, what’s the point in my remembering who you are if I can’t wear your name out? By golly, I’m gonna use it, and use

it till I use it out.

“Morning, Patricia. Say, Pat, how’s that new job going?” “Hey, Tom! How about those Cowboys, Tom! Wasn’t that some game?”

“Barbara, I heard your daughter got married last weekend. Can’t wait to see those pictures,

Barb!”

Th ere’s only one potential problem with this. Let me explain. Recently I had the pleasure of

working with Chris the Sound Man during the course of several special events here at

Trinity. I’d passed him in the halls for years, but had only recently come to know him on a

fi rst-name basis.

And so it was that one fi ne day as I was walking down the church corridor with my teenage son, I looked up and happily saw Chris the Sound Man headed our way. Eager to show off my ability to store and retrieve name information, I lifted my hand and greeted him.

“Hey, Chris. How about those Cowboys?” My son glared at me. It was, after all, the middle of June. But I thought I detected a bit of healthy pride in my son, pleased that his mother knew so many folks by NAME. He smiled at me and then as Chris approached, my son subtly raised his hand and said, “Hey, Jerry.”

Mortifi ed, I jerked my head quickly, staring at my son with eyes as wide as saucers.

“Was’up, guys,” the Sound Man muttered as he passed us.

“Jerry?” I hissed under my breath, glaring at my son. “What do you mean, Jerry? Th at man’s name is Chris! I worked with him for three months solid. I should know!”

“Name’s Jerry, Mom. Th e guy’s name is defi nitely Jerry.” My son’s huge grin said it all. He was loving it.

And sure enough, to my utter humiliation after asking a few people I knew – Patricia, Tom, and Barbara – I learned that it was. Chris, the Sound Man I’d come to know and love, wasn’t Chris at all.

Well, I’m a mature adult. I know that any time an error of this nature occurs, it’s best to just own up to it. Admit your faults and face your fears. I had to do my part.

So the next Sunday before church began, I made a beeline straight for the sound booth, and without batting an eye said, “Good grief, Chris, why didn’t you tell me your name was Jerry?”

By Rita Morrow

contributing column



ministry spotlight

Far-reaching impact

Jennifer Wilkerson, high

school principal, was a

contributor to the newly

released book, Authentic

Strategies for High-Stakes

Tests by Joyce A. Carroll

(Absey & Co.).

Commended studentsTwo ACA students were named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program (’06 and ’07).

High test scores

Students scored above

the state average on

ACT tests.

Nationally recogniz

ed

programs

The Association of Christian

Schools International awarded

exemplary status to two of our

programs; Immersion (’05-’06)

and Community Impact (’06-’07).

Award-winning facultyK. Christopher, 1st grade

teacher, received the Career

Service and Achievement

Award from ACSI in 2007.

College preparationHigh school students can

earn up to 44 hours of college credit through a

partnership withAmarillo College

Arbor Christian Academy offers excellence in education to its students on many levels. Here are just a few examples:

When I teach, I give students tools. Sometimes those tools are commas and apostrophes, but other times those tools take the form of guidance or strategies for life. As a teacher, I can give a lot to a student, but the most important things, the things that they come to school with – those things come from God.

Every child is uniquely gifted by God to fulfi ll a specifi c purpose in His kingdom. Th e ideal situation is for teachers to partner with parents to fi nd their child’s God-given bent and to begin that child on a path to fulfi lling God’s call. Th at is a huge task, but because we all rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to complete the work set before us.

Th ere are many students who could serve as examples of fulfi lling God’s call on their lives, but I have chosen to focus on three. Th ese three students could have done just about anything with their lives, but they didn’t choose just anything; they chose to minister and to serve here at home at Trinity Fellowship.

Each of these young people has been truly gifted to serve in their respective ministries at Trinity Fellowship. I had the pleasure of teaching each of them at Arbor Christian Academy, and their gifts and personalities were evident then and are perfectly suited for the positions that they are fulfi lling now. As I look back at these young people, I can see that God was preparing them for their ministry and for the role He had planned for them.

If you spent any time with Pastor Bryce Langford, you would be impressed with his wisdom and maturity. As a high school student, Bryce was a pillar of wisdom and insight for his peers (and his teachers). In diffi cult circumstances, Bryce was the young man that the students gravitated to because he could be counted on to provide godly insight and wisdom. He unselfi shly gave of himself to benefi t others.

Bryce is now serving as the pastor of Blü, and the high school students that he leads need his wisdom and his gentle guidance. Teenagers recognize phony and shallow; they crave deep thought and serious talk about eternity and walking with God. Th e high school students respond and relate to Bryce because they recognize that he is the real deal, his walk with God is authentic, and he can lead them to that relationship.

When Beth Jones Talley was a high school student, she was a leader. She wasn’t loud or boisterous but calm and strong. As president of Student Council, she took charge of the Variety Show, which involved lots of elementary kids, most of them rambunctious. Th e high school students cringed at the task of organizing the elementary students, so Beth got the task because we all knew that her personality was perfectly suited. She was like the Pied Piper with them. Th ey followed her and took on her calm demeanor.

Beth was certain that she wasn’t going to teach elementary school, but I saw in her a gift with children. She has worked in Children’s Ministry and at Kids Camp, always leading with peace and a firm resolve to do what is right. Evidently, Mrs. Talley has fully embraced her call because this year she will be teaching 1st grade at Arbor Christian Academy. Her patience and steadfastness will be the perfect mix for leading first graders.

I have a seventh grade son who will be going to Blü for the fi rst time this fall, and I have been a little nervous about the transition. However, because I know that Pastor Joshua Davis will be leading him, I have great peace. Josh is full of energy and fun and most importantly, Jesus Christ. Junior high students are facing the most tumultuous time of their lives, and they need a person who can ride a roller coaster, do a back handspring, and then lead them in a prayer of salvation. When I was teaching Josh, I learned that creativity was one of my underdeveloped skills. From him, I discovered that learning can and should be fun. His energy is life-giving and exactly what junior high students need to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Each year I have students who, like Bryce and Beth and Josh, are uniquely gifted by Our Lord to fulfi ll a specifi c place in His Kingdom. Th e beauty of my job is that I get to see the gifts in their raw and purest forms while they are being developed and shaped. Sometimes I get a chance to do some shaping and developing and refi ning, but most often I just stand in awe and watch what our Lord can do with a life.

PerfectThe FitArbor grads find their true calling

by Jennifer Wilkerson


ministry spotlight


Beth (Stennis) Sublett - class of 1996 - graduated

from Texas A&M in 2001 with a bachelor’s of

business administration in marketing. She is the

owner of JBS Linens. Beth is married to Jacob

Sublett and they have an 8-month old son, Sam.

Sarabeth (Key) Mares - class of 1993 - earned

a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from

WTAMU and a master’s from the University

of Texas at Arlington. She is the assistant

principal at Alice Landergin Elementary

School here in Amarillo, and is married

to Robert.

Colin Reid - class of 2000 - graduated

from Baylor in 2005 with a master’s

in accounting; he was named “outstanding

accounting student” his senior year. This fall

he begins a Ph.D. program at the University

of Tennessee in Knoxville, and plans to

become a college professor. He is married to

Jessica .

John Esler - class of 2002 - A 2006 graduate

of Texas A&M, John is a project manager for

Western Builders of Amarillo. He married Lacey

Meadors (also an ACA graduate) in 2004. She

is employed by JBS Linens.

Kaleb McCarrell - class of 1999 - earned

a degree in sports and exercise science

from WTAMU in 2005. He is an officer

for the Amarillo Police Department. He is

married to Kimmi; they have a 15-month-

old daughter, Kaylin .

Where Are They Now?Where Are They Now?Graduates of Arbor Christian Academy have made accomplishments in various avenues of higher education and career opportunities.

Here are just a few:

34th & Soncy4301 West 45th Avenue

2620 Wolflin Avenue

PROUDLY SERVING

AMARILLOFOR 15 YEARS



“Th en one day I decided to stop waiting on the next move of God and simply be the move of God,” says the thirty-one-year-old accountant named Chris. And tonight his words fall on eager ears. Here young men and women have gathered for vision. Th e room resonates with grasp and agreement, and there is a sense that we’ve all waited long enough for something that has already happened long ago. We know it is now time to go and do what we know to be true.

Pastor Matt Spears has asked Chris and his wife, Francine, to come tonight and tell their story. Sitting on stools, they share their lives through hand-held microphones to the people who have assembled in the North Auditorium. Chris and Francine have recently begun Color Africa. It is a home-based ministry that provides coloring books and crayons to impoverished African children as a simple expression of the Gospel.

Th e idea came to them late one night while watching a television documentary about the AIDS pandemic. Th e footage of the program briefl y showed an interview with a small African child receiving medical treatment from a charity clinic. Th e smiling child expressed his gratitude for the help he desperately needed, and said that he was beginning to feel a little better. Th en he said that he just wished he had a coloring book to pass the time.

As the documentary moved on to the next scene, Chris’ and Francine’s hearts broke. Th ousands of miles way, there is a child who lives in a nation torn by the greedy violence of warlords. A child who is sick and starving due to no fault of his own. A child who is fi ve times less likely to reach adulthood than a child who was born in the States. A child who just wants a coloring book and crayons.

But unlike many Americans, who might simply retreat into apathy when they glimpse the overwhelming reality of world poverty, Chris and Francine decided to be Jesus to the hurting. Th ey decided to be the move of God. “Bono can aff ect nations, Oprah can give millions of dollars to the poor, and Hollywood can adopt all the orphans of Africa if they want to. We can’t do that, but we can spend an extra few dollars at the grocery store and get a coloring book and crayons to show a child that we love him,” Chris says as he concludes. Since its founding in the fall of 2006, Color Africa has delivered almost four hundred coloring books and fi ve hundred boxes of crayons to children in fi ve diff erent African nations, and has even gained support from people who live in several diff erent states and Canada. So while Chris and Francine know that they might not be changing the whole world, they are confi dent that they are at least changing part of it.



Th e room applauds Chris and Francine, and Pastor Matt says, “Th is is the vision of North. Th is is what Cause looks like in real life.”

For two months now, Pastor Matt has been talking to a core leadership team about the vision for North, Trinity Fellowship’s new young adult ministry. And this vision can be boiled down to one word—Cause. Simply put, a Cause is some type of active and consistent expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ towards people, whether it is inside or outside of the church building. Cause is young men providing rent for single moms, a college student mentoring a teenager, young couples gathering to study scripture, or a young mom meeting weekly with other young moms to help each other raise their kids. And yes, Cause is rallying people to send coloring books to children in Africa.

Cause is also the coming revolution of the Church in America.

Pastor Rick Warren, author of Th e Purpose Driven Life, once said that Generation Y (people born between 1970 and 1990) could possibly be the generation in the American church that made the transition from being simply hearers of the Word into being doers of the Word. And he said that they would only be won by the type of “pure and undefi led” Christianity described in James 1:27: “to visit orphans and widows in their time of need, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” And by no means did Warren (who is fi fty-seven) knock older generations by saying this. What he has noticed is a unique feature of the coming generation—an unprecedented obsession with social justice.

Now, this is somewhat intriguing, since Generation Y is also undoubtedly one of the most, if not the most, profoundly selfi sh consumerist groups of people to ever walk the face of the planet (I can say this because I’m a part of this generation). So, one might ask, how can it be that a picky, brand-conscious consumer living in the wealthiest nation in the history of mankind also simultaneously supports the cause of the downtrodden

of the earth? Th is seems contradictory. Nevertheless, the same twenty-something who believes owning an iPod is an inalienable, basic human right will also wear a One bracelet to display to the world his conviction to end global poverty.

What this curious phenomenon tells us, however, is the one thing Generation Y is searching for: a meaningful purpose that is larger than themselves. After growing up in a world where celebrities seem to revolve on a merry-go-round of the party scene, rehab, divorce court, and then Larry King to talk about it, young adults have begun to realize that fame, fortune, and lots of cool stuff probably aren’t the keys to lasting happiness and a meaningful life. Something is defi nitely wrong with the American Dream. We all know it. And we want to give our lives to something that matters.

So in light of this, the Church has an unprecedented opportunity to reach a generation with the Gospel. While this Generation Y thinks it yearns for social justice, it is, in fact yearning for Jesus without knowing it. As the Church, our only job is to show Him for how beautiful He truly is.

Th roughout the whole of His Word, God reveals himself as the defender of the fatherless, the comforter of the widow, the champion of the poor, and the hero of the hopeless. Th is was the nature of Christ’s ministry on earth, and it is the same ministry we as His body are charged to continue. So then, if we are His hands and His feet, like them, we must be broken and bloodied for the sake of loving people relentlessly and sacrifi cially. And what we’ll fi nd to be true is that when people behold the true beauty of Jesus, they will fi nd Him irresistible.

So this is the type of ministry we will strive to create in the hearts of young adults at North. We hope to lead people into living lifestyles that refl ect the transcendent beauty of Jesus. And the wonderful thing is that love can be as simple as buying a coloring book and a box of crayons.



book reviews

Leif Enger’s best-selling debut, Peace Like a River, was originally marketed to a secular audience, and despite its overt Christian themes, was able to top Time Magazine’s books of the year.

Th e tale is told through Reuben Land, a young character who has drawn comparisons to a modern-day Huck Finn for his boyish perspective on a very adult world. Th e brilliant cast of characters is almost mythological in their spectrum: with a cowgirl-poet sister, a miracle-working father, and an older brother who rides a horse through the Dakota Badlands on the run from the law. However, the marvelous writing will keep you turning the page almost as much as the plot does.

Word has it that Brad Pitt’s production company has optioned the rights to make the book into a feature movie. Hopefully, Hollywood pulls the trigger and sends this family-friendly moral tale to the big screen.

Tony Dungy, the fi rst African-American coach to win a Super Bowl, drew a lot of attention last year with his own brand of success. In his book, Quiet Strength, he states that people can be successful without sacrifi cing their faith or their family. He even goes so far as to say you can be successful because of those things.

Th e book opens in his Tampa Bay offi ce after he’s been fi red as the Buccaneers’ head coach. In the midst of a potentially career-ending event, shortly after his son’s suicide, Coach Dungy relied upon God to get him and his family through the lowest of times. Th at moment points the reader in the direction that the rest of the book will take, chronicling the tragedy of his son’s death, and the victories that led to being a World Champion football coach. Coach Dungy’s story does a thorough job of placing life’s calamities and victories in the supreme perspective of God’s will. Whether you are a sports fan or not, you can surely identify with this inspiring story.

Quiet StrengthTony Dungy© 2007 Tyndale

Peace Like a River

Leif Enger© 2002 Atlantic Monthly Press

Jared Anderson’s latest release is a collection of heartfelt songs that will minister to your soul. You will recognize Jared’s songs even if you don’t recognize his name. Rescue, Hear Us From Heaven, and Amazed are three of his songs that have become staples in the church today, and are also included on this CD titled Where to Begin. Th e arrangements of these familiar songs are quite diff erent on this recording. I am usually guilty of not being very open to musical change for songs that I’ve grown to love, but these arrangements are fresh and interesting. Check this CD out and let the words speak life and encouragement to your heart.

Jared AndersonWhere to Begin

Release Date: October 2006© 2006 Integrity Media, Inc.

Just in case you haven’t heard, God has been doing something in the UK. In the last 15 years, worship music has gone through a huge evolution and much of it has been a result of the Brits. Artists like Delirious, Matt Redman, and Tim Hughes have been largely responsible for the surge in fresh, modern songs that have changed worship in the local church. Th is trend defi nitely continues with the release of Soul Survivor 2006. Recorded live at the British youth event of the same name, this album is full of anthems of God’s greatness and honest expressions of His saving love. I assure you that you will be blessed and edifi ed by this great album.

Soul SurvivorLove Came Down

Release Date: November 2006© 2006 Survivor Records

In Brennan Manning’s Ruthless Trust, his follow-up to 1990’s Th e Ragamuffi n Gospel, Manning jumps right into the fray of what it means to trust God with a personal tale. Personal tales are Manning’s strong suit, allowing you to follow him along on his sometimes-dark-always-inspiring path of understanding God’s goodness.

Manning himself has led a life that books are made of, from teaching at a Franciscan seminary, to transporting water to remote and poor areas of Spain; from being a voluntary prisoner in a Swiss prison so he could minister to prisoners, to living in solitude for six months in a cave in the Zaragoza desert to contemplate the love of Jesus Christ. He paints a very real portrait of Christianity, never shying away from his own shortcomings, and he always pushes through pain to fi nd understanding and ultimately to encourage other believers to trust God completely.

Ruthless TrustBrennan Manning© 2002 HarperOne

music reviews

Roger Hodges Patrick Schlabs


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Connect Magazine - Fall 2007

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Transcript of Connect Magazine - Fall 2007